US aid commitment, “unprecedented” position at forefront of national security policy
When it comes to U.S. Foreign Assistance, a “New Era of Responsibility” needs a “New Era of Public Awareness”
By: William Mathopoullos
On February 1st, 2010 roughly three weeks after a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, the Whitehouse’s Office of Management and Budget released its proposed foreign operations budget for Fiscal Year 2011. That morning as I embarked on my commute into the nation’s Capital, listening to public radio, ruminating the consistent stream of discontent expressed by the callers with the U.S. response to the recent earthquake, it became evident that the general public is largely unaware of the efforts undertaken by their government to respond to humanitarian crisis, improve global health and safeguard human security.
"The recent wave of what some have called “mega disasters” has U.S. aid agencies working harder than ever in responding to humanitarian crisis caused by unprecedented natural disasters." Will Mathopoullos
In fact, the proposed 2011 foreign operations budget and the present budget for 2010 clearly substantiate a commitment to strengthen U.S. foreign assistance capacity in the years to come. The United States is on a path to double foreign assistance by 2015, [1] ushering in what has been called by the administration; “A New Era of Responsibility” in United States foreign policy, with a commitment to expand foreign assistance goals in the coming year[2] . This revamped commitment is rooted in realization that global development, often referred to as “soft power” is a most critical component of achieving U.S. foreign policy objectives in what seems to be an increasingly perilous (and hostile) world.
In the same spirit as the “New Partnerships Initiative” (NPI), announced in 2000, with a goal of strengthening partnerships between the United States and Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s), Public International Organizations (PIO’s) and even Institutional Contractors, the Obama Administration’s so called “New Era of Responsibility” will continue to rely on relationships with partnering organizations to pursue United States foreign policy objectives. Partner organizations have an essential role in the capacity for official aid agencies and government ministries to meet their missions abroad, mobilize humanitarian and disaster response and are essential driving forces behind sustainable development[3]. Through contracts, grants and cooperative agreements, USAID and other government agencies provide the vehicles for undertaking initiatives that pursue vital U.S. interests abroad.
When a major earthquake struck the densely populated Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince in mid-January, nearly half a million people were displaced and 3 million were left in dire need of food, water, medical care and shelter. Within one hour of the magnitude 7 earthquake, as part of U.S. emergency response efforts, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) had activated its Response Management Teams (RMT’s) to Haiti. The Obama Administration had initially pledged $100 million in aid, but within just 3 weeks USAID spending had reached $296 million with combined U.S. civilian and military aid reaching $464 million [4]. In mid February, the Christian humanitarian and charity organization, “World Vision” was the recipient of a $19 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to help families and communities in Haiti affected by the natural disaster[5]. In the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, USAID, Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) has provided approximately $500 million in assistance to NGO’s and PIO’s all working to provide varying degrees of disaster response support to the devastated small island nation. The response to January’s earthquake in Haiti is one of OFDA’s largest and most successful disaster response undertakings in history.
US President Barack Obama talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at NATO Summit. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
But the role of the United States aid agencies is not limited to natural disaster response. With two ongoing wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and with Pakistan playing a key role in the United States’ ability to combat extremism and stabilize the region, the United States is more deeply vested than ever in the Middle East and in South Asia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently unveiled a new strategy, part of which includes sending more civilian experts to the region to assist in rebuilding agricultural sectors, improving necessary components of civil society and governance and reintegrating extremists into society[6] . This shift in focus from a primarily military based strategy to a more credible two pronged approach is reflective of the Obama Administration’s progressive realization that while the use of force is an often vital component of state power, the United States has relied too heavily on this tool in Afghanistan and Pakistan and that better results are achieved when force is used in a “precise and principled” way and in collaboration with tools that promote soft power[7]. This profound understanding has succeeded in deploying global health and economic sustainability to the frontlines of the United States wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Late last year, USAID signed 16 host country contracts worth over $72 million with NGO’s, for the purpose of providing health care services in 12 Afghan provinces[8]. According to the Afghan Minister of Finance, Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, these contracts with NGOs, will provide basic health and hospital services to over 35 percent of the Afghan population[9]. In recognition of the impact which agriculture has on sustainability in Afghanistan, this past February, U.S.-based NGO Roots of Peace”, received over $30 million in grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Commercial Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing Program (CHAMP), to help the regions farmers transition their crops from cereal and poppies to grapes, pomegranates, apples, cherries and almonds [10]. This assistance will provide viable alternatives to opium production and improve economic opportunity and sustainability in the region, alleviate poverty and in turn yield greater human security, which translates to a more sustainable peace.
The recent wave of what some have called “mega disasters” has U.S. aid agencies working harder than ever in responding to humanitarian crisis caused by unprecedented natural disasters. Meanwhile, the threat to international security caused by poor global heath, poverty and the absence of economic opportunity, has aid agencies redefining their missions with a greater emphasis on the pursuit of human security through global health and economic sustainability. While this “New Era of Responsibility” as it has been called is not necessarily novel to the concept of “soft power”, it is unprecedented in the degree in which it places U.S. aid agencies and their partners at the forefront of United States security policy. Unbeknownst to us, these efforts are copious, enduring long after the media spotlights have faded and the contemptuous gestures of solidarity pass.
William Mathopoullos has a Graduate Degree in Diplomacy and International Affairs from the Seton Hall University; Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations. He has spent the most recent several years working as a Senior Contract Specialist, supporting a diverse range of federal projects related to humanitarian/disaster response, foreign aid, transportation security, homeland security and defense.He also has experience working with the United Nations, Non Governmental Organizations, Missions and Educational Institutions in the realm of public outreach; specifically related to non proliferation of weapons and United Nations Reform.
[1] http://www.usaid.gov/policy/budget/cbj2010/
[2] “An Era of Responsibility”- Renewing America’s Promise, Office of Management and Budget. The Executive Office of the President of the United States of America.
[3] “New Partnerships Initiative”, http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/npi/corerept/npi-ngo.htm 2000
[4] “Front Lines”, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) February 2010
[5] “The Medical News – Net” http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100224/World-Vision-receives-2419M-grant-from-USAID-to-help-families-and-communities-in-Haiti.aspx Fenruary 24, 2010
[6] “Front Lines”, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) February 2010
[7] “AFP” “Top US Officer Says Military too Dominant in US Policy”, March 4 2010
[8] “USAID Afghanistan” http://afghanistan.usaid.gov/en/Article.866.aspx November 4, 2009
[9] “USAID Afghanistan” http://afghanistan.usaid.gov/en/Article.866.aspx November 4, 2009
[10]“USAID Afghanistan” http://afghanistan.usaid.gov/en/Article.985.aspx
Haiti and Dr. Shah’s First Test
By: Dalai Fazio
Over the last week, the world has been watching the brutal aftermath of a 7.0 earthquake, which struck Haiti last Tuesday afternoon. For Rajiv Shah, the execution and delivery of relief efforts are to be his first test since taking over the US Agency for International Development (USAID) this past Christmas Eve. However, in the coming weeks ahead, after the initial nutritional, shelter and hygienic needs of Haiti are met – a real development plan for Haiti must be made.
Supplies being unloaded onto Haiti's airport tarmac photo/Google Earth
While this seismic tragedy was unexpected, the knowledge that Haiti was a fragile and poor nation with a struggling government was not. It has had a United Nations peacekeeping force and developmental presence in Haiti since 1993. In the first hours after the earthquake struck the county’s flimsy structure was easily apparent and swift action was taken by the US government to provide basic logistical services that the Haitian government could not. Many other governments have pledged support, but the US has essentially taken over the command and control functions of the entire relief operation, with the US Federal Aviation Administration dictating all air traffic into Port-au-Prince’s airport and the Pentagon coordinating every supply airlift and sea delivery.
One bright spot is the outpouring of civilian assistance and humanitarian aid from all parts of the world. Boosted by new donation streams such as mobile text messages and online social networking sites, these contributions have generated tens of millions of dollars with The American Red Cross alone reporting over $10 million in mobile txt donations late Friday evening. At the same time, aid workers armed with technology are using their mobile phones to pin point their locations as trouble spots on Google Maps and share this geographical information with command and distribution centers. However, while these and other factors such as Haiti’s proximity to the US are in its favor, years of abject poverty, ignored development, UN bureaucracy and weak state institutions are compounding the earthquake’s tremors.
As USAID’s Administrator, Dr. Shah is a competent professional, with previous stints at the US Department of Agriculture and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. According to his official USAID bio he earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and M.Sc. in Health Economics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and also attended the London School of Economics. Not too shabby…but Haiti will be harder than any other test he has had to face.
The relief efforts will go on for some time, but when the US leaves, albeit probably not any time soon, Haiti’s people need to be able to hold up their own economy and communities again. As USAID marshals its own plan for Haiti’s recovery, job creation, exportable goods and outsourced services must be the end goal of any development scheme. Good luck Dr.
